This invention pertains to a training aid device for use in increasing a player's ability in the game of billiards, which name in all of the following includes the game of pocket billiards. The object of these games is to strike one ball, called the cue ball, with the end of a shaft called a cue stick in such a manner and direction that said cue ball will roll to another ball herein called the object ball, and hit the object ball in such a location and a manner that said object ball will travel a specific predetermined path, as to a pocket for scoring. For a player to have a cue ball strike accurately at a target point he must develop a repeatable ability to strike the cue ball in such a manner that said cue ball will travel to the aiming point, or contact point with an object ball. "English", which is any rotation given to the cue ball by the manner in which it is struck by the cue stick, which rotation is other than normal rolling, may have an effect upon the path of the cue ball and/or the direction of the object ball after contacted by the cue ball, and is to be avoided by one learning the game. "English" will, when imparted accidentally to the cue ball by an incorrect stroke, cause the player to reduce his ability to have the object ball travel as desired, although it may be used to advantage by advanced players.
"English" is avoided, and normal rolling is achieved by having the cue tip strike the cue ball while said cue tip and the entire cue stick is being directed along a line passing along the axis of said cue and through the center of said cue ball, all while said axis is essentially parallel to the playing surface.
Several errors in "stroking" the cue ball, which stroking is the bringing of the cue tip into contact with said ball contribute to "English". One of these is an unsteady "bridge"; the "bridge" being the hand supporting and guiding the cue stick above the table surface, normally with the index finger being wrapped around said cue stick. An unsteady bridge does not accurately control the path of the cue tip to its desired point of contact with the cue ball even if the cue is otherwise correctly stroked.
A second error contributing to english is for the "stroking" hand holding the other end of the cue to move along a path other than the axis of the cue extending through the center of the cue ball.
Various devices have heretofore been proposed as bridge aids for use in games such as billiards. Furey U.S. Ser. No. 953,167 and Ciano U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,794 purpose supporting a cue guide on the player's finger, or holding same in the player's hand. The present invention has the advantage of assisting a player in learning to form a good bridge hand. The present invention has a second advantage in providing an artificial fixed bridge which enables the player to either visually or physically or both evaluate the straightness of his stroke independent of whether he is able to establish a steady bridge with his hand. The present invention has a third advantage in providing a fixed bridge which will maintain a degree of restraint against side-wise movement at the bridge of a tapered cue throughout its stroke. Table supported devices as Ruhland U.S. Ser. No. 690,617, Williamson U.S. Ser. No. 855,684 and Furda U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,649 have been developed as bridge assists in playing the game. In contrast, the present invention is not intended for such use, but for training.
Accordingly, a basic object of the present invention is to assist the player in forming a correct bridge for support of the tip end of the cue stick.
A second basic object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus to assist the player in observing visually as well as physically that the path of the cue stick is essentially along the prescribed axis, without lateral pivoting during its travel, such pivoting normally being around a point which is the center of the bridge in the horizontal plane.
A third basic object of the apparatus of the present invention is to accomplish both of the above objects without complete restriction, allowing the user to observe and improve his own control rather than be restricted to complete control by the apparatus.
A further object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive device for the aid of development of both an effective bridge and of the basic stroke of the cue stick in the game of billiards.